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Can’t find a report for this walk, which is forest trail located between Talla & Fruid Reservoirs just outside Tweedsmuir in the Upper Tweed valley. The Silver Jubilee Road was opened in 1977 - the Queens’s Silver Jubilee and is a 9 mile route in an elongated horse shoe shape. Apparently the route was planned as a vehicular drive but that never happened.
I have walked this route a fair number of times over the years, I guess its maybe 10 years since I done all of it. Attempted the walk about 4 or 5 years ago but industrial style felling meant I quickly abandoned the walk so it was time to go back and see what had changed. On the positive side large areas of felled trees have been replanted and new long views have opened up; especially to Talla plus all the surrounding hills and back towards Tweedsmuir. On the negative side there is still significant felling going on in one area (see below) and some parts of the track have been ‘improved’ for machinery but aside from that it remains a good walk. It features in a number of websites, Youtube, etc.
My walk was on a gloriously sunny day. Drive to Tweedsmuir then turn right onto the Fruid road for less than 1 mile and there are two entry points; one opposite Menzion Farmhouse and the other about 500m further up the road which has better car parking. There are two options; go clockwise (1st entrance) or anticlockwise. (2nd entrance). I choose the latter.
The first few miles of the track until you get level with the ruined cottage Over Menzion on the valley floor was ‘improved’ a few years ago for timber trucks but its ok to walk these days with good long views over the area. After this, and in the area the OS map calls Black Craig, is where the felling is going on (see below) so its all a bit messy but beyond this the track reverts to its original ‘green’ state as it rounds the top of the valley after that its fairly normal forestry track most of the way. Once the track rounds the east side of Colin Hill the views to Talla and the surrounding hills open up making for a pleasant (and mainly) downhill finish to the walk.
Felling Area (map)
Felling Area (aerial)
If anyone wanted to avoid the current felling area then go clockwise round to the Auchenmade Burn/Scaddow Knowes area and find a suitable route to drop down to the valley floor and walk out by the old track from Over Menzion.
Photos (going anticlockwise around the route)
To Erie Hill
Fruid
Over Menzion
To Tweedsmuir
Talla
Talla